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College Fraturday
College Fraturday

Good friends. Bad ideas. Great Saturdays.

Shopping guide

Tailgate Like You Mean It

Kickoff is a suggestion. The lot opens at nine.

Canopies, tables, chairs, coolers, grills and something to throw.

Before game day

  • Check the venue's lot rules: opening time, canopy sizes, grills and open flames, glass, and whether stakes are allowed (on pavement, plan on weights).
  • Check the Saturday Forecast for wind and rain, and pack for the worse of the two.
  • Load the car in reverse: what you set up first goes in last.

Set up in this order

  • Canopy first, weighted on every leg before the wind finds it.
  • Table under the shade, then the coolers out of the sun.
  • Chairs around the edges so the middle stays open.
  • Grill downwind and well away from the canopy.
  • Games last, in the space that's left.

Keep the food safe

Keep cold food at 40°F or below. Perishable food shouldn't sit out more than two hours, or one hour when it's above 90°F (USDA guidance). Use two coolers, one for drinks and one for food, so the food cooler stays closed and cold.

Leave it better than you found it

Bring more trash bags than you think, let the grill cool before it goes back in the car, and walk the spot once before you leave.

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